Birth and Recovery
by L.O.A.D
Summary: Tiana finally give birth. T for now, may change.
1. Chapter 1

**Own nothing; review.**

One hot night, Tiana, Naveen, Louis and Charlotte were on their way to Mama Odie's boat. Tiana was now heavily pregnant and would likely be giving birth soon, but before that, they wanted to get some advice the voodoo queen. Suddenly, Louis stopped dead.

"I smell something," he said. He turned around and so did everyone else. Standing behind them, with his ever faithful shadow, was Dr. Facilier. He chuckled and walked towards the group.

"What brings y'all to this neck of the woods?" He asked. "And at this hour?" Tiana stepped forward.

"Back off Facilier," she said. "New Orleans is your town, the bayou is Mama Odie's. That's who we're here to see." He chuckled again.

"I was just askin' chere," he said. "The swamp isn't safe for a woman such as yourself. It'd be an awful shame should something happen to your kids. Y'all should be back home."

"And why are you not home?" Naveen asked. Facilier threw his head back and laughed.

"I am home," he said, gesturing to the swamp with his cane. "I may not have been born here, but this is where Odie raised me. It's as much my home as the emporium or my alley."

"Interesting," Naveen said. Before anyone could say anything else, a horrible screech filled the air.

**Uh-oh.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for shortness; own nothing; review.**

Facilier cursed and spun around. At least fifty shadows came as if out of nowhere and surrounded the group. Thinking fast, Facilier reached into his pockey and pulled out a pouch of pink powder. Throwing a circle of it around himself and the others, he concentrated his energy on protecting himself and struck the ground hard with his cane. Slowly, a clear, pinkish blinked into existance. The shadows snarled and rammed into the shield, but fortunately, it held. Facilier leaned on his cane, body aching, head pounding, panting.

"What did you do?" Naveen asked, looking around both in awe and fear.

"It's a shield," Facilier said, straightening up. "They can't come in as long as it's up. Hopefully it will last longer than their patience."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked. Facilier turned away from the group, his shoulder's slumped.

"As long as the shield is up it drains my energy," he said. "If I get too weak, it'll fail. I need to stay a calm as possible, so try not to do anythin' that may stress me out." They all heard Tiana gasp.

"This is an issue," she said, sitting down.

"What's an issue?" Facilier asked.

"I just went into labor."

**So much for 'don't stress him out.'**


	3. Chapter 3

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"Chere, no offense, but y'all have the worst timin' ever," Facilier told Tiana. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair, sweat dripping down his face. He turned to the group. "I don't suppose any of y'all know how to delivere a baby?" They shook their heads. Facilier sighed. "Which of y'all thinks you could if ya had to?" No one answered. Facilier sighed. "Then what do we do?"

"I guess it's up to you, Facilier," Tiana said. Facilier swallowed and turned to her.

"Me?" Facilier asked. "But I need to keep the shield up! I can't do both."

_I can help, _Shadow said. _I can keep the shield up._ Facilier shook his head.

"You'll get hurt," he told Shadow.

_You don't have a choice, _Shadow replied. Facilier sighed and nodded.

"Alright," he said. "I'll do it. But not yet. You just went into labor, chere, there's no need to rush things. Right now, I need to keep this shield up." He turned to the shield and frowned. "This thing won't hold till dawn," he said. "Someone needs to go get Odie. Louis!"

"M-me?" The gator asked. "Why me?"

"The shadows can't go underwater," Facilier said, "And you can hold your breathe for at least twenty minutes. The river is ten feet from here, they won't be able to get you in that time. You're the only chance we got."

"Please Louis," Tiana said. "For me?"

"Alright," Louis said, "for you." He ran out of the shield and dove into the water before the shadows could respond. Facilier sighed and sat down, focusing on the shield. Shadow glided up to the shield and silently snarled at the other shades. The snarled back, this time with sound.

"Shadow stop that!" Facilier said. "You ain't makin' this any easier for me." Shadow nodded and glided back over to his master, who was trying hard to keep the shield up, despite the attack on it.

_**Break(hour or so passes)**_

"Facilier!" Tiana gasped. "I really think it's time now!" Facilier got up and rushed over to Tiana.

"Shadow take care of the shield," Facilier commanded. Shadow nodded and headed over to the shield, putting his own energy into it. Facilier sat down in front of Tiana and lifted up her skirt. "Don't kick me," he said. "This is awkward for me too, darlin'."

"Just do your job," Tiana growled, "or I'll make it so you can't have kids." Facilier nodded and looked down.

"I think I see the head," he said.

"You think!" Tiana snarled.

"Don't snap at me!" He said. "I'm doin' my best. I don't have alot of experience with this sort of thing." He looked back down and nodded. "It's the head," he said. "Give it another push." Tiana did as he said and gave another push.

"How's that?" Tiana asked. Facilier nodded.

"Good," he said. "Keep it up, chere, you're doin' great. I'll need somethin' to wrap it in." He looked around and saw nothing. Sighing, he took off his coat. "Alright Tiana," he said, "one more push." Tiana pushed and the sound of crying filled the air. Facilier chuckled lightly as he wrapped the tiny creature in his jacket, wiping away the blood. Using a flame knife, he cut the cord and stood up. "Naveen," he said gently. "Come get your daughter."

"D-daughter?" Naveen asked, walking over to Facilier. The witch doctor handed the newborn over to the shaken prince. Naveen held the baby in his arms. "I have a daughter."


	4. Chapter 4

**Please review. I own nothing.**

Facilier sighed, looking from Tiana to Shadow. "Alright," he said, "The next kid won't come just yet. Shadow!" He called. "I can take the shield for now, you rest." Facilier walked over and lifted his cane. A beam of purple light came out of the orb on the top and shot into the shield, strengthening it. Facilier dropped to his knees, trembling. Charlotte gasped and walked over him.

"Are you alright?" She asked, helping him to his feet.

"Fine chere," he said, panting. The shadows patroled the shield, eyeing Naveen hungrily. "They want your baby," he told the prince.

"What!" Naveen and Tiana said in unison.

"You can't let them!" Tiana said. Facilier nodded.

"I swear chere," he said, "by everythin' I'm worth, I won't let 'em get your kids." He looked back at the shadows, who watched the group as a predator would prey. "They know I'm gettin' weaker. I won't be able to keep the shield up much longer." He looked around. "Odie better get here soon."

A few minutes passed and soon the second child was ready to be born.

"Shadow," Facilier said, starting to feel rather weak. "You're up." Shadow nodded and rushed over to the shield, putting his own energy into it. Facilier knelt down in front of Tiana and sighed.

"Are you alright?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Tired," he said. "Give me a moment, I'll be fine." He swallowed and looked to see if the baby was ready yet. "I'll need somethin' to wrap 'im in." Charlotte nodded and handed him her sweater.

"Here," she said.

"You sure?" He asked. "You ain't gettin' it back."

"I don't care," she said. Facilier took the sweater and delivered the second baby, wrapping him gently in it.

"It's a boy," he said. "Who want's to hold 'im?"

"Me!" Charlotte said, before Facilier had even finished his question. Facilier nodded and handed the baby to her. "Oh, Tia! He looks just like you!" Facilier smiled and got to his feet. His vission went black and his knees buckled. He would have collapsed if not for his cane.

"Faldi Faldonza," Naveen gasped. "Are you alright?" Facilier shook his head.

"This shield is killin' me," he said. He glanced at Shadow, he too growing weaker. "Killin' us. If Odie doesn't come soon, there ain't much we can do." Facilier walked over to the shield and took over for Shadow, who nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

A shadow rammed into the shield and it faultered, flashing out of existance as Facilier momentarily blacked out. He came to quickly and reestablished the shield, his knees threatening to buckle as he did so. He could feel his energy slipping away, dragging his life with it. He looked to his right and saw Shadow besides him, helping him keep the shield up.

"Don't," Facilier told the shade. "You'll just die too."

_We're in this together, _Shadow said, not relenting. Suddenly, all the shadows rammed the shield at once, breaking it. Facilier collapsed, his energy gone. The last thing he saw was Shadow falling besides him.

_**Break**_

Before the shadows could attack the group, a blast of light came out of nowhere, destroying some of them. It was Odie. The remaining shadows snarled in outrage and fled. The blind voodoo lady rushed to Facilier side, checking for a pulse and to see if he was breathing. To her horror, he wasn't breathing, nor did he have a pulse. She looked over at Shadow and sensed the shade begining to fade. She took her gourd and ran it over his chest. It expanded with a cough and a gasp and soon he was breathing, shallow though his breathes may have been. Besides him, Shadow stirred slightly, but otherwise remained unmoving.

"Are they alright?" Louis asked, dreading the answer. Odie shook her head.

"They're as close to death as they can get without crossin' over," she said, "but they're alive. Help me get them back to the emporium, we can take care of them there."


	5. Chapter 5

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Facilier woke up in his bed, feeling about as bad as could be expected. He sat up, his head pounding.

"How you feelin' child?" He heard Mama Odie ask. He looked over and shook his head.

"Horrible," he said. He groaned, rubbing his temples. "What happened?" Odie opened her mouth to talk but he cut her off. "Don't answer that. I don't need y'all lecturin' me. I knew the risk, there wasn't any other way."

"Don't worry," Odie said. "I ain't here to yell at y'all. You did what you had to." Facilier nodded and groaned again. He looked over and saw Shadow laying unmoving in the corner, causing him to frown..

"I never should have asked him to do that," he said. "I knew he wasn't strong enough." Just then, Odie hit him on the head with her gourd. "Ow!"

"You ain't got the sense you was born with!" She said. "He'd have done it wheather you asked him to or not and you know it. That shade'd do anythin' for y'all. If he didn't help you'd be dead right now. Speakin' of which," she conntinued, "y'all should gettin' some sleep if you want to build up your strength." Facilier nodded and laid back down, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

_**Break**_

"How's he doing?" Tiana asked, walking into the room. Mama Odie shook her head.

"They both need their rest," she told Tiana. "They might wake up, they might not." With that, she got up and walked out. Tiana sighed and sat down in the chair, watching Facilier sleep. After a few minutes, she felt something cold brush against her leg. She looked down and saw Shadow at her feet. She smiled warmly at the shade.

"How you feeling?" She asked in. The shade shook his head, which Tiana assumed meant he wasn't feeling well. Using her own shadow, she reached down and picked him up, placing him on the bed besides his master. Nuzzling against Facilier, Shadow soon fell back asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Own nothing; review**

Tiana sat in the chair, watching the two of them sleep. Finally, Facilier sat up again and looked around the room.

"Feeling better?" Tiana asked him. He shook his head, petting Shadow. Shadow stirred slightly and looked up, nuzzling Facilier.

"To be honest chere," he said, "we feel about as bad as we could." Tiana nodded, looking them over. She then noticed something off about his eyes. Instead of their usual violet they were a light lavender, almost white.

"What's wrong with your eyes?" She asked. He looked up.

"What do you mean, chere?" He asked.

"They're different," she said. "Lighter. They're usually violet but the look white now." Facilier nodded.

"They change color if I use too much of my energy," he said. "The more I use, the lighter I get. I was all but dead when Odie got there." Tiana nodded.

"Alright," she said. He looked at her and frowned.

"How are you kids?" He asked. "Where are they?"

"They're fine," Tiana said. "They're with Naveen right now." Facilier nodded and laid down, closing his eyes.

"What'll you tell them," he asked, "when they ask about The Shadowman?" Tiana sighed.

"I'll tell them the truth," she said. Facilier nodded sadly, remembering what she said the last time he had asked. "I'll tell them the only reason they're alive is because of you." Facilier smiled slightly.

"Thanks, chere," he said. "Thanks." With that, he fell back asleep.

**Review**


	7. Chapter 7

Once again Facilier woke up. His head was pounding and, if possible, he felt worse than he did before. He coughed and glanced over to see who was watching him this time. To his surprise, it was Charlotte La Bouff.

"Hey chere," he said, coughing again. "How y'all been?"

"Fine," she said. "Thanks to you."

"How so?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You didn't have to help us," she said. Facilier shook his head.

"What else could I have done?" He asked.

"Dropped the shield and ran," Charlotte suggested. He paused for a moment, as if thinking this through in his head.

"I suppose you're right," he said.

"Then why didn't you?" She asked. Facilier shrugged.

"Not sure," he said. "Guess I just like havin' friends." He sighed, looking around the room lazily. Finally he looked back at her. "What ever happened to that book I lent y'all?" he asked.

"It's..._around,_" Charlotte replied hesitantly. Facilier looked at her.

"You lost it, didn't you?" He asked. Charlotte sighed and gave in, looking down as if ashamed.

"Yes," she said. She looked up suddely. "It wasn't important to you, was it?" Facilier shook his head.

"Wouldn't have lent it to you if it was," he said, looking at her with a slight smile. He sighed again. "Don't suppose your quest to find someone to be with has been successful?" He asked. Charlotte shook her head again.

"I don't really want anythin' serious right now," she said. Facilier chuckled.

"Never likes 'serious,'" he said. "Gets people in trouble." Charlotte didn't say anything. Instead, she sighed sadly. Facilier frowned. "Hey now," he said. "Don't act like that. A pretty thin' like y'all? You'll find someone." Charlotte looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Thanks," she said. She smiled again and hugged him. "Thank you for everythin'."


End file.
